Abigail Wetzel
Abigail Wetzel
Class Year
’24
Hometown
Peoria, Illinois
Major(s)
Nursing
Abigail Wetzel ’24 is a nursing major at Carthage. For one of her study abroad J-Term trips, she went to India to learn about healthcare. The trip included taking hospital tours, speaking with doctors and nurses, and learning about Indian traditions and rituals within their healthcare system.
Why Carthage?
“I chose Carthage because of the incredible faculty within the nursing school and the small class sizes. You can tell that the nursing faculty want to get to know you, and you can create that professional relationship with them that will help you with internship and jobs in the future.”
Faculty mentors
“The faculty has had a huge impact on my life. You can tell that they absolutely love to be here teaching. You may get to have the same professors for multiple subjects, and that gives you the opportunity to build the professional relationship you get to have with that staff member. These relationships get to help you find internships or job opportunities that would be a great fit for you.”
Favorite class
“Although I have enjoyed every one of my nursing classes, my favorite has been my pediatric lecture class with Professor Cheryl Petersen. Prof. Petersen is extremely welcoming and kind. You can tell she absolutely loves to teach us students about the pediatric population. She also wants to get to know you outside of nursing, like extracurriculars that we do, to understand better and help each and every one of us with which type of nursing we would do great in.”
Campus involvement
“I am a Carthage Association of Nursing Students member, student ambassador, and a member of the Chi Omega fraternity. Each of these clubs and organizations has shaped me into the person I am today. I have been able to take what I learn from these clubs and turn them into something that will help me as a future nurse.”
Internships or campus employment
“I am a lab assistant in the nursing lab. This has helped me not only get to know more of the nursing students and faculty, but I get to be involved in the simulation side of nursing school as well. I have enjoyed being a part of other nursing students’ journeys. I also am a senior resident assistant. I love immersing myself into the residential side of and getting to help improve the community at Carthage.”
Career goal
“I hope to be a pediatric emergency nurse. In the future, I want to become a nurse practitioner and maybe even a nursing professor!”
What would your 8-year-old self think of you now?
“Ever since I was little, I wanted to do something to help others and the surrounding community. I believe little 8-year-old me would be so happy and proud of me!”